Jina Oravetz: life & writing
Censorship, Alive and Well
I was very upset about a blog that I read so I had to post about it. Below is the link to the blog and my comment that I posted there.
I also applaud these authors. Whoever arranged this fair knew what the author wrote before inviting her. I applaud any author who is dealing with topics that are relevant to today’s society and today’s teenagers. The dis-ivinite is quite frankly a group of people wanting to stick their heads in the sand and ignore the stark reality of our world. I completely agree with the poster above: Tanita–Evil flourishes in secrets and silence–wonderfully put Tanita. Bravo, Ellen Hopkins for breaking that silence and shame on those who refuse to listen.
Willamette Writer’s Conference 2010
Ok, so I spent the weekend at the conference. Every year I am amazed by how much I learn, and how much I enjoy being there. I learned so much, that I won’t be able to express it in just one post. So, check back, and I’ll be blogging about my experience at the conference and some of the things I learned. Oh, yes I do have a couple of agents who encouraged submissions. I’m quite happy about that, but I feel I have some polishing to do before sending.
You want to write for a living?
If you want to write for a living then the first thing you need to do is take yourself seriously, because if you do that then others will believe you are serious about your career as well.
It you treat your writing like a career then it will become one (it just might take awhile.)
Step One: Decide.
Decide if you want writing as a career. Decide that it’s worth your time, effort, and occasionally money.
Step two: Set Goals.
Goals are important. They are like your road map to your life. Even tiny goals like, do the dishes, take the dog for a walk, write 500 words are goals worth setting.
Step three: Track and Achieve your goals.
Setting goals is great, but you have to follow through and complete them. If you were never a goal setter, then start small and work your way up.
Step four: Connect and Learn
Connect with other writers. Join a critique group, attend a conference, go to workshops, do what you can to build a network and you will learn a lot in the process. It’s important to not just learn how to better your writing and submit correctly, but also learn about the industry-the business of publishing, the marketing of books. It’s good to know what’s going on and how it will affect you.
Step five: Read
Yes, read. Read books in your market so you know where your book falls. Read books on writing to improve your prose. Read submission guidelines (more than once) when you submit your work. Read to support your industry and other writers just like you.
Step six: Never give up.
If you are truly passionate about what you are doing, don’t give up. Believe in yourself, even when it seems impossible. If you listen to others who tell you your dream is a “pipe dream” then that is all it will ever be, but if you listen to yourself, believe in yourself, and put in the effort to further yourself, then you really can take a “pipe dream” and turn it into a dream career.
It was in 2007 when I finally decided to take myself seriously as a writer. One of the first things I did was go to the Willamette Writer’s Conference. Then, I joined a critique group. Since then I have met wonderful people, improved my writing, learned about the industry, and had a few nibbles on my book. I am still writing and still submitting and will keep doing so because I believe in myself and my dream.
Goosebumps
Well, I’ve started writing again. This is a huge thing for me because while I was pregnant and the majority of my postpartum (which was fraught with complications) I did not write. I did not have the energy, time, or brainpower. Even now, sitting is not my forte so often I am blogging from my phone while laying down, or writing with pen and paper, while laying down. I am digressing.
Goosebumps. I’m not talking about the book series, though I did enjoy that series as a kid.
No, I’m talking about reading something you’ve written and knowing that it’s right. It portrays what you want, has the right emotion and pull. The chapter or scene has come together perfectly and the end result is goosebumps running up and down your arms or other body parts.
Now it may sound conceited to say that I can get this feeling by reading my own writing, but I am a firm believer that if I cannot manage to entertain myself with my writing then why on earth would I expect others to be entertained by it.
I am reworking the ending of Pelegra and (especially since I haven’t read it for nine months) was particularly struck by the emotion of, well it’s not the last chapter but it’s close to the last chapter.
The point in my ramblings above is read your own work. Expect it to live up to the books you read for entertainment and if your own writing doesn’t give you goosebumps then maybe you need to rework some things.
Why all the book reviews?
If you follow my blog you know that I do the occasional book review with additional posts on writing and what’s happening in the publishing world. Well, as you’ve noticed I am posting a flurry of book reviews. Well, I’m about 5 weeks from due date (yes that would mean I’m pregnant) and haven’t really had the energy or time to write or stay as up to date as I normally do with things. So, you will be seeing a lot of book reviews for the next couple of months while my husband and I adjust to having a baby and being new parents–this is our first. If you want to suggest a book for me to review, please drop me an email using the contact me link.
~Keep Reading
Bringing Back Old Favorites
I read an interesting article the other day.
The article talks about Scholastic re-releasing certain books to help bring back popularity. One of the series mentioned was The Baby-Sitter’s Club by Ann M Martin. Now, I must admit I was an avid fan of this series when I was in my tweens and even belonged to scholastic book club for it. So I have to say I was happy to hear that they are trying to revive it. Another author mentioned was Christopher Pike, another favorite of mine. They are re-releasing his last vampire series with new covers and titles. The re-release is called Thirst and I believe combines a couple of the books.
I think the concept of re-releasing with new covers and possibly new titles has been happening for awhile and is becoming more popular in order to bring in new readership. Let’s face it if you are starring at two books and one has a snazzy recent cover compared to cover art from the 80’s chances are you will pick up the snazzy new one. Even though they do say don’t judge a book by its cover.
I think it’s a smart idea and we will see what other books and authors turn up as re-released and what happens to their books as a result.
In the meantime I encourage you to go pick up a favorite book of yours from your childhood or youth and give it a re-read, chances are it will be worth your time.
Organic Writing
Sometimes as writers we get bogged down in trying to pace a sentence correctly or finding the perfect punctuation, but sometimes we have to let it go. Often when I’m stuck I just have to write. Who cares if there are fragments or if the phrasing is awkward. It’s first draft, it’s about capturing the basics of that scene, well for me at least. We were discussing in my critique group that this concept of just writing is classified as organic writing. I guess you say it’s writing in it’s raw form. Yes, you have to go back and clean it up and pay attention to those fragments and punctuation but often, that first spark and those first words are where the magic happens. So don’t be afraid to let go and just write.
The Gifted Series: Book Trailer
Something that you are seeing more of is the concept of commercials and/or trailers for books. Honestly, I’m surprised that it’s taken this long to become more popular and I feel that it still has a ways to go. I think that as a society we rely too much on t.v. and/or internet to tell us about things and that includes new books. It only makes sense that trailers are a step in the right direction for book marketing. I still don’t see many trailers on t.v, but I have have seen a few. Anyway, I stumbled across this trailer for the Gifted series by Marilyn Kaye. It looks like a good read. The Gifted Series trailer can be found here:
http://www.publishersweekly.com/flashVideo/element_id/2140398090/taxid/34194.html.
Site Interruptions
Just a warning. I am doing some work on my site. If the sites goes down, I promise it will be back up by Tuesday, 12/1/09 at the latest.
Back on Track
Occasionally my life derails my writing schedule. Being pregnant has caused a prolonged derail. I’m not using that as an excuse, but I’ve been more interested in sleeping that just about anything else. Oh maybe eating that’s another priority of mine ;).
Anyway, my point is what to do when you get derailed? I think a good start is to go back to the beginning. I don’t mean re-writing your story or even editing but re-reading it. Hopefully your first chapter is enough to re-captivate your imagination and pull you back in. If not the first chapter then perhaps where you left off, or those pages and pages of notes on what needs to happen next.
Often we simply don’t even give ourselves the chance. We put it off for the sake of sleep, dishes, laundry, more sleep in my case. It’s important to peruse through these things, re read your favorite parts, and let yourself be sucked back into your story. Your motivation may come from that original spark that has kept you going this far. So re-read, fan the flame, and happy writing.